Creamy No-Churn Homemade Ice Cream Recipe

What if you could make extra-creamy homemade ice cream with just four simple ingredients in about ten minutes? This easy no-churn ice cream method requires no ice cream machine and yields a perfect vanilla base every time.

Want Cookies and Cream, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Mint Chocolate Chip or Nutella swirl? With a few straightforward mix-ins you can turn this base into any favorite flavor in minutes.

If I had to pick one dessert to eat forever, it would be ice cream. Narrowing that down to a single flavor would be impossible, which is why this no-churn base is so useful: you can make a rich, creamy vanilla and then customize it into many different flavors quickly and easily.

What you’ll need

• Sweetened condensed milk
• Heavy cream (cold)
• Sea salt
• Vanilla extract
• Stand mixer, electric hand mixer, or a sturdy whisk – to whip the cream to firm peaks.
• Large mixing bowl
• Metal or glass containers for freezing and storing the ice cream. Metal pans freeze faster; glass containers are handy for dividing into multiple flavors.

How to make it

1. In a large bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk with vanilla extract and sea salt until smooth.
2. Whip the cold heavy cream using a stand mixer, electric hand mixer, or whisk. Start on medium speed and increase to medium-high until the cream holds firm peaks, about 3–4 minutes. Cold cream whips faster and yields better texture.
3. Gently fold the condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream using a rubber spatula. Fold just until uniform—overmixing deflates the whipped cream and can make the texture less airy.
4. Pour or spoon the mixture into a metal or glass container. If you plan to make more than one flavor, divide the base among smaller containers before adding mix-ins.
5. Add any mix-ins now and gently swirl or fold them in so they’re evenly distributed. For swirls like Nutella, drop spoonfuls and swirl with the spatula rather than stirring completely.
6. Cover the container tightly and freeze for at least 5 hours, or overnight for a firmer scoopable texture. Metal containers will freeze slightly faster and can help achieve a smoother surface.

What flavors you can make with this recipe

This creamy no-churn base is incredibly versatile. Below are simple mix-in ideas to create classic flavors; quantities assume one full batch of the base. Feel free to get creative—combine elements to build your own signature flavor.

1. Cookies & Cream – fold in about 1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies for a crowd-pleasing classic.
2. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough – stir in 1 1/2 cups bite-sized cookie dough pieces. Use refrigerated or slightly thawed frozen dough and chop into small chunks.
3. Mint Chocolate Chip – add 1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon mint extract, and a drop or two of green food coloring if you prefer the traditional mint-green hue. The coloring is optional.
4. Birthday Cake – fold in 1/4 cup sprinkles for a simple cake-batter vibe. For actual cake pieces, dice a single bakery cupcake into roughly 1 1/2 cups of chunks and mix in.
5. Nutella Swirl – warm 1 cup Nutella briefly in the microwave (about 20–30 seconds) until easily swirled but not hot, then drop spoonfuls into the ice cream and swirl gently. Nutella will firm up when frozen, creating delightful pockets of hazelnut chocolate.
6. Butter Pecan – toast 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans in 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons maple syrup over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, then cool and stir into the base for a rich, nutty flavor.

You can split the base into portions to make multiple flavors from one batch. This recipe yields about 1/2 gallon (roughly 4 pints). Stored in an airtight container, the ice cream will keep well in the freezer for several months, though it’s usually eaten much sooner.

More ice cream recipes to try

If you enjoy this no-churn method, try other flavors built on the same simple approach: chocolate, salted caramel, peanut butter, strawberry, milk-and-cookies, peppermint bark, or moose tracks. Each of these can be made without an ice cream maker using the same whipped-cream-plus-condensed-milk base.

Brownie and cookie recipes to pair with the ice cream

Ice cream is even better paired with warm brownies or freshly baked cookies. Try serving scoops over fudgy double chocolate brownies, red velvet cookies, cookie cakes, sea salt blondies, or salted caramel cashew cookies for an indulgent dessert combination.

Easy No-Churn Homemade Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups heavy cream, cold

Optional add-ins (per batch)

• 1 1/2 cups crushed sandwich cookies (Oreos)
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chip cookie dough chunks
• 1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips + 1 tsp mint extract + optional green food coloring
• 1/4 cup sprinkles
• 1 cup Nutella
• 1 1/4 cups pecans + 2 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp maple syrup (to toast)

Instructions

1. Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and sea salt in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Whip the cold heavy cream on medium-high speed until it forms firm peaks, about 3–4 minutes.
3. Fold the condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream gently with a rubber spatula until combined.
4. Pour into a 2-quart (or similar) container; metal is preferred for slightly faster freezing.
5. Add any optional mix-ins, or leave plain for classic vanilla.
6. Cover and freeze for at least 5 hours or overnight for best texture.

Notes

• Nutritional information usually reflects plain vanilla and does not include mix-ins.
• For best results, add one primary mix-in per batch or reduce quantities if combining multiple add-ins.
• To create multiple flavors from one batch, divide the base before adding mix-ins.
• This method produces a smooth, scoopable ice cream without churning and is ideal for quick homemade flavors.

Nutrition Facts (per scoop, vanilla base)

• Calories: 245 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 19 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Fat: 18 g
• Saturated Fat: 11 g
• Cholesterol: 66 mg
• Sodium: 106 mg
• Sugar: 18 g